The proposal for the experimental design will measure carbon monoxide and various VOC level that could occur in every day situation as well as life threatening situations using simulation. This proposal will demonstrate how the harmful levels of VOC's that motorists are exposed to can be eliminated within the vehicle, and thereby preserve the health of thousands of individuals, as well as prevent accidental deaths, and prolong intentional harm by elongating the amount of time that oxygen can remain in the breathable atmosphere. Perhaps this may give an individual attempting suicide extra time to rethink their intentions to harm themselves. This invention will make the highways and our vehicles safer by inducing a healthy atmosphere within the vehicles.
The mechanism of action in the invention is the following; the lithium oxide acts to adsorb the volatile organic carbons in the surrounding atmosphere of the vehicle via the ventilation ducts from the intake manifold. The naturally occurring zeolite crystals which are a combination of silicon and aluminum, act as molecular sieves for carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide yielding the byproduct water. The crystal structure is based upon repeating units consisting of a silicon atom with a plus four valance, surrounded by four oxygen atoms with a negative two valance, culminating in a tetrahedral configuration. Each oxygen atom is shared by two silicon atoms giving the tetrahedral structure a net charge of zero. When aluminum with a plus three valance is substituted in the tetrahedron a net charge of negative one occurs. This gives rise to the cation exchange properties of zeolites. Another interesting property of zeolites is that their pore size is uniform throughout the crystal, giving it a unique structure. Zeolites have both very high porosities and well defined pore sizes. It is these properties that help zeolite to act as a molecular sieve. The activated carbon acts as a sieve for the VOC's. The addition of lithium hydroxide is to assist as a alternate scrubber for the VOC's. The byproducts of its reaction are lithium carbonate solid and water. The water is then absorbed by the zeolite. The combination of these compounds embedded within a activated carbon mesh create a healthy breathable atmosphere within a vehicle, preventing VOC's from attaining dangerous concentrations.